Two Trinamul MLAs faced protests at Daribhit in North Dinajpur on Sunday when they met family members of two youths who had died in a clash on Thursday.

In contrast, a BJP delegation led by Mukul Roy and Locket Chatterjee stayed at Daribhit for around three hours and even held a street corner meeting attended by a large number of local people.

Although chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamul leaders blamed the BJP and the RSS for the death of Tapash Burman and Rajesh Sarkar, Islampur party MLA Kanaialal Agarwal had to admit before the angry villagers on Sunday that at least one youth had died from bullets fired by police.

The two died after they had allegedly received bullet injuries during a clash following students’ protest against appointment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers at co-ed Daribhit High School, 15km from Islampur town.

Agarwal and Goalpokhor Trinamul MLA Golam Rabbani arrived at Daribhit on Sunday morning and met family members of Tapash and Rajesh. Local people and the victims’ family members became agitated and heckled the MLAs.

“My son has died in a police firing and yet, you are silent. It is unfortunate you (MLAs) have come here to express condolence but have not said a word against those who are responsible for my son’s death,” said Manju, Tapash’s mother.

Others also spoke against the legislators and questioned the chief minister’s claim that the police hadn’t fired. The MLAs appeared baffled and couldn’t come up with evidence to substantiate Mamata’s argument. To placate them, the MLAs had to finally accept the locals’ demand that a neutral probe be conducted.

“It is clear that the bullets had been fired because I had seen Rajesh Sarkar’s body. The bullet had pierced through him. If the police had not fired, who else would have fired? Locals are disgruntled and want to know the truth. There has to be a neutral investigation,” said the Islampur MLA.

Agarwal and Rabbani spent hardly 30 minutes at Daribhit.

It was, however, a completely different scene when the BJP delegation visited the village. They met family members of the victims and held a street corner meeting.

Mukul Roy said: “Both the youths died in police firing. We will approach the Centre with a demand for a CBI investigation. On Monday, a delegation of our party will meet the governor also. We will continue our political and legal struggle on the issue.”

At the same meeting, Shankar Chakraborty, the district BJP president, accused the police of carrying out attacks even after the deaths and said the police might face retaliation if they came to the village again. Later, Chakraborty was arrested by Karandighi police for allegedly making inflammatory remarks against the law enforcers.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said: “If there is any breach of law and order due to such move by police, we won’t be responsible. The police are biased. Earlier, several Trinamul leaders had made aggressive comments against the police but none has been arrested. We also want to make it clear that the BJP will put all efforts to make the general strike a success on Wednesday.”

He said BJP leaders had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Daribhit clash when he had arrived at Bagdogra airport on Sunday en route to Gangtok.